Novelty case



June 26, 1934- G. VERGER Er AL 1,964,334

NOVELTY CASE Filed may 9, 1929 3 sheets-sheet 1 June 26, 1934. G. VERGERm- AL l 1,964,334

NOVELTY CASE Filed May '9, 1929 s snee'cs-shee` 2 fave-alfort:

3 SheetsfSheet 3 June 26, 1934.

J/'gw iff/1 Patented .lune 216, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NOVELTYCASE Application May 9, 1929, Serial No. 361,800 In Switzerland February11, 1929 10 Claims.

The present invention has for an object a box or case for watches orother articles, provided with a pivoting cover or shutter, covering thewatch case, likewise pivoting and lodged inside the case, the raising ofthe cover and of the watch case taking place successively in twooperations, by acting on push-pieces suitably arranged.

The cover and the watch case are provided, if necessary, with a catchdevice which allows them to be maintained in inclined open position.

The said opening in two operations can be realized, fo;1 example, byreleasing of the watch case in a position of concealment in the bottomof the case by means of a hook or movable lug Whose disengagement isobtained by the pushpiece controlling the shutter forming the cover, atthe end of the stroke ofthe said push-piece.

The case or box is applicable not only to watches but also small clocksor any other article which can be disposed in the case, instead of thewatch case.

In certain cases the mechanism for latching the watch case in concealedposition in the bottom of the box is eliminated, the said Watch casebeing maintained in such position concealed during the rst openingoperation by means of a guard plate projecting from the exterior of thebox and surrounding the push-piece controlling the opening of the watchcase.

Under these conditions, during the first opening operation, it is thepush-piece controlling the cover which alone is pushed in and determinesthe opening of the said cover, the thrust exerted by the nger on thepush-piece controlling the watch case being without eiect because of thesaid guard plate against which abuts the finger. It is only bysubsequently displacing this finger, in a way to avoid the said plateguard that the shoving in of the second push-piece is produced andconsequently the raising of the watch-case.

The description which follows taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, given by way of example, will enable the manner of executingthe invention to be well understood.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the case;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detail of the case, in plan, on a larger scale with theshutter raised;

Fig. 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5--5 of Fig. 4, with the shutter andthe watch-case removed;

Fig. 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

(Cl. 20G-37) Fig. 7 is a view' analogous to Fig. 4 with the push-piececontrolling the shutter pushed in;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the case in open position;

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of a modified form of case;

Fig. 11 is the corresponding front elevational view;

Fig. 12 is a section along the line 12-12 of Fig. l1 with the case inclosed position;

Fig. 13 is a section along the line 13-13 of Fig. 11 illustrating thefirst opening operation;

Fig. 14 is a similar section illustrating the second opening operation;

Fig. 15 is a section along the line 15-15 of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 16 relates to a modification of Fig. 15.

Our case or box comprises a tubular flattened body or casing a, open atits two extremities a1 and a2 and in which the upper surface is providedwith a slot or large opening b, covered by the pivoting shutter or coverc. Said shutter is mounted on hinges d along the lateral edge of theopening b. It is provided at the rear on each side with a tail eprovided with a.slot in which engages a tenon ,f carried by each of thelateral arms g1 of push-piece g which slides at the extremity a1 of thecase a.

At the opposite extremity a2 of the case a slides another push-piece hwhich controls, by means of tenons h1, tails or extensions i, providedwith slots in which the said tenons engage, which tails i are providedat the rear and on each side of a watch case j pivotally mounted on ahinge at Ic along the edge of the recess b opposite to that whichcarries the hinge d of the shutter. Springs r1 and r2 are interposedbetween the extremities of the lateral arms of the push-pieces andmaintain said push-pieces in the separated position indicated in Fig. land for which the shutter c is folded up above the watch case y', itselfconcealed on the interior of the case, in such wise that said case is inclosed position.

Inside the body of the case a are provided two opposite partitions, oneof which is illustrated at Z in Fig. 6 and is situated on the side ofpushpiece g. Said partition l carries through the medium of a smallshaft m a pivotal hook n of which the lug n1 comes, as shown in Figs. 3and 4, into engagement with a notch o of the edge 7'1 of watch case iand, by bearing on the bottom o1 of the notch, maintains the said watchcase in con-v cealed position on the inside of the case proper, whichposition is shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. A

spring p formed by a blade iixed at p1 on the external surface ofpartition l, as shown in Fig. 6, engages in a groove oi the hook n andmaintains said hook in engagement with the watch case. The releasing ofthe said watch case takes place at the end oi the pushing on thepush-piece g, due to the thrust exerted by the boss g2 of the saidpush-piece y, on the lower extremity n2 of the said hook 1i, whichthrust causes the hook to rock and disengage the lug nl from the notcho.

' i gagement of the hook and rises by pivoting in the direction of thearrow F2 of Fig. 8, which causes the dial of the watch to appear.

If the push-pieces are slightly relaxed the watch case can remain inraised and inclined poi sition by bearing of the stem of the Watch in asmall notch o furnished on the internal surface of the shutter c, asindicated in Fig. 9. We may provide any other releasing device for thewatch case in open position.

For closing the case, it is merely necessary to I bear on thepush-pieces for disengaging the stem from the said notch and thenrelease the pushpieces in a way that the watch case by lowering becomesautomatically locked in the interior of the case, the shutter csubsequently folding over upon the said watch case. The pivoting of thewatch case and of the shutter in opposite directions to the arrows Fland F2 takes place under the action or" the return springs r1 and r2provided w between the lateral arms of the push-pieces.

It is to be understood that modifications can be introduced into thedevice when constructing the case which has just been described withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as com- 1 prehended withinthe scope of the present claims.

In particular the control of the shutter and of the watch case may berealized in any other manner, for example, by a tongue adapted to pushan extension or central bracket of the shutter and of the watch case.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 10 to 16, the opening in twooperations is accomplished in a way which will now be described withreference to said gures.

The push-piece h which controls the opening of the watch case issurrounded at the projecting part on the outside of the case by astationary guard plate o as shown in section in Fig. 15, the said platebeing soldered or secured in any suitable manner to the case or box a.

The edge q1 of the plate lies iiush with the external edge h2 of thepush-piece IL, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13.

Under these conditions, if the case is seized in 1. the hand and thethumb is applied against the push-piece It whereas the middle finger andindex finger are applied against the push-piece g, it will be obviousthat by drawing the fingers together, it is only the push-piece g whichbecomes pushed in the case, by the fact that the thumb abuts and isstopped against the edge q1 of the guard plate q forming a stationarypoint and having no effect on the push-piece 7i.

There is therefore determined the rst opening operation illustrated inFig. 13, during which it is only the cover c of the case which raisesuncovering the watch case which remains in the bottom of the case andthus allows the time to be seen.

If it is desired to raise the watch case, that is instigate the secondopening operation, it is merely necessary to place the thumb near thebottom in a way that it avoids the guard plate q and push on thepush-piece h, as shown in Fig. 14.

The opening of the watch case 7' is then determined, the said watch caseand the cover being able to rest in latched position as indicated inFig. 9 of the drawings after the fashion of a travellers clock, thewatch case and the cover then being in the inclined position representedby the axes shown by the dotted lines k k1 and d dl of Fig. 14.

It is to be understood that the manipulation of the case, for producingthe second opening operation, might be brought about by taking the bodyof the case in one hand and by acting with the other hand on the twopush-pieces in a way that the linger which must shove the push-piece hexerts its force lightly beneath the guard plate q in order to avoid thesaid plate.

The guard plate may be given a variable shape or contour, the said platebeing composed for example of two parts q2 and Q3 as indicated insection in Fig. 16.

Having described our invention what we claim .'j'

as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a novelty case of the kind described the combination of an opencasing, a watch case pivoted at one end of said casing adapted to beswung within said casing, a cover pivoted at the 1.2-

other end of said casing, adapted to close over said watch case, a pushpiece slidably mounted in each end of said casing, means for operativelyconnecting said push pieces to said watch case and said coverrespectively so as to cause said watch case and said cover to swing openwhen said push pieces are moved inwardly, means on said casing forlocking said watch oase within said casing, and means, operativelyconnected to the push piece that controls the cover, for releasing isaid locking means near the end of the inward stroke of said pushpieces.

2. In a novelty case of the type described, the combination of an opencasing, a watch case pivoted at one end of said casing adapted to be onsaid casing for locking said watch within said casing, and means,operatively connected to the push piece that controls the cover, forreleasing said locking means near the end of the inward stroke of saidpush piece.

3. In a novelty case of the type described, the

combination of an open casing, a watchcase pivoted at one end of saidcasing adapted to be swung within said casing, said Watchcase beingprovided with a notch, a cover pivoted at the other end of said casingadapted to close over said watchcase,

obliquely disposed tails on said cover and said 111 watchcase,push-pieces slidably mounted one in each end of said casing, andoperatively connected to each of said tails respectively for causingsaid cover and said watchcase to swing upwardly away from said casing, apartition disposed in said casing, a hook pivoted to said partition, alug on said hook adapted to engage said notch in the watchcase, and aboss on the pushpiece which controls said cover, adapted to trip saidhook near the end of the stroke thereof.

4. In a novelty case of the type described, the combination of an opencasing a watch case pivoted at one end of said casing adapted to beswung within said casing, said watch case being provided with a notch, acover pivoted at the other end of said casing adapted to close over saidwatch case, a push-piece slidably mounted in each end of said casingmeans for operatively connecting said push pieces to said watch case andsaid cover respectively so as to cause said watch case and said cover toswing open when said push pieces are moved inwardly, a partitiondisposed in said casing, a hook pivoted to said partition, a lug on saidhook, a leaf spring cooperating with said hook adapted to cause said lugto engage said notch, and a boss on said remote push-piece adapted totrip said hook near the end of the stroke thereof.

5. In a novelty case of the type described, the combination of an opencasing, a watch case pivoted at one end of said casing adapted to beswung within said casing, said watch case being provided with a notch, acover pivoted at the other end of said casing adapted to close over saidwatch case, a push-piece slidably mounted in each end of said casing,obliquely disposed tails on said cover and said watch case slidablyengaged by said push-pieces for causing said cover and said watch caseto swing open when said push pieces are moved inwardly, a partitiondisposed in said casing, a hook pivoted to said partition, a lug on saidhook adapted to engage saidnotch, a leaf spring normally pressing saidlug in said notch, and a boss on said push-piece which controls saidcover adapted to trip said hook near the end of the stroke thereof.

6. A novelty case according to claim 1 in which the inner face of thecover is provided with a notch, and a winding stem on said watch caseadapted to engage said watch so as to engage said notch for holding saidwatch case in an inclined position.

'7. In a watch having an exterior casing with an outwardly swingingcover hinged near one end of said casing and in which casing said watchis also hinged near the other end thereof so as to swing outwardly aftersaid cover has first been swung away from it, the combination, with saidabove described apparatus, of mechanism located mainly in said casingbut having members projecting oppositely therefrom, said mechanism beingoperatively connected to said watch and to said cover and acting, whenthe projecting portions thereof are subjected to external pressureexerted toward the interior of said casing, to first cause said cover toswing outwardly and thereafter, if said pressure is continued, to causesaid watch also to swing outwardly.

8. A combination such as defined in claim 7 in which said mechanismcomprises oppositely disposed plungers projecting through said watchcasing end walls, spring means tending to force both said plungersoutward, a projection extending radially from the axis of the hinge ofsaid cover and engaging one of said plungers and a similar projection onsaid watch engaging the other plunger, a lock for holding the watch downin the casing and means for releasing said lock after the plungerconnected to the cover has first been pushed inwardly a distancesufiicient to at least partially raise said cover.

9. A combination such as defined in claim '7 in which the portion ofsaid mechanism allowing said watch to be swung upward only after saidcover has been initially raised, comprises a lock normally holding saidwatch in said casing and a plunger connected to said cover to swing itupward when said plunger is initially pressed into the casing, saidplunger also having a part engaging and tripping said lock after saidplunger has been pressed in far enough to raise said cover.

10. A combination such as defined in claim 'l in which the portion ofsaid mechanism allowing said watch to be swung upward only after saidcover has been initially raised, comprises a projection from said casingpartially masking the plunger connected to said watch; whereby handpressure applied to that side of the casing will normally be resisted bysaid mask until the operator avoids it and thus shifts his hand pressureto the adjacent plunger.

GEORGES VERGER. HENRI VERGER. JEAN WEIL.

